Southwest Priority Credit Card review: Strong perks for regular Southwest flyers

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Southwest Rapid Rewards® Priority Credit Card

Cheaper Southwest cards already include a free checked bag and Group 5 boarding, so the $229 annual fee (see rates and fees) has to earn its keep.

The card’s biggest draw is seating: Cardholders can choose preferred seats when booking and, when available, move to extra-legroom seats at no additional cost within 48 hours of departure.

Its value is tied less to points earning and more to a more comfortable Southwest trip. Travelers who fly the airline often enough can make the fee work, while occasional flyers will probably find better value in a lower-cost card. Card rating*: ⭐⭐⭐½

*Card rating reflects the opinion of TPG's editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.

Southwest Priority Credit Card: The basics

The card comes with a $229 annual fee in exchange for several Southwest-specific perks, including:

• Access to preferred seats at booking and upgrades to extra-legroom seats within 48 hours of departure for you and up to eight companions, when available
• A free first checked bag for you and up to eight other passengers on the same reservation
• 7,500 bonus points every account anniversary, worth $94 based on TPG's October 2026 valuations
• 25% back on inflight purchases
• 10,000 Companion Pass qualifying points boost in 2026
• 2,500 tier qualifying points (TQPs) for every $5,000 spent in 2026; beginning in 2027, cardholders will earn 1 TQP per dollar spent
• Group 5 priority boarding

Benefits tied to status will change in 2027 as part of Southwest’s larger Rapid Rewards redesign.

Beyond those perks, Southwest Priority cardholders can earn bonus points on Southwest purchases, as well as on dining and gas station spending.

Southwest Priority Credit Card pros and cons

Southwest Priority Credit Card benefits

At a time when many rewards cards revolve around statement credits for partner brands, it is refreshing to see the card keep its value focused on its own airline. You do not need to juggle a spreadsheet to get value from it, but you do need to fly Southwest often enough to make the $229 annual fee worthwhile.

Because most checked bags cost $45, or $30 for interisland flights in Hawaii, the free first checked bag perk can add up quickly. Even a solo traveler could nearly cover the annual fee by checking a bag five times on mainland U.S. flights.

It is harder to assign a dollar value to priority boarding and a Companion Pass qualifying points boost. If you usually travel alone, the chance to earn a Companion Pass may not feel especially valuable, though it could matter if you are close to qualifying before those points requirements disappear at the end of 2026.

Overall, the Southwest Priority offers a strong set of benefits for its annual fee, as long as you fly Southwest several times a year. Premium airline cards are meant for loyal customers, and this one fits that mold.

How to earn and use your rewards

Earning on the Southwest Priority credit card

The card earns Rapid Rewards points at the following rates:

• 5 points per dollar spent on Lyft through Dec. 31, 2027
• 4 points per dollar spent on Southwest purchases
• 2 points per dollar spent at gas stations and restaurants
• 1 point per dollar spent on everything else

Those earning rates are not especially exciting, so this card may make more sense as a travel companion for Southwest trips than as an everyday spending card.

Beginning in 2027, the card will also earn 1 TQP for every $1 spent. That is good news for Southwest flyers working toward elite status and could make the card more appealing for travelers who care about status.

If you do not fly Southwest exclusively, your spending may be better directed to a Chase Ultimate Rewards card such as the card that earns transferable points (see rates and fees). It has a different set of bonus categories, a lower annual fee, and points that can be transferred to several airlines, including Southwest.

Redeeming Rapid Rewards points

Rapid Rewards points can currently be redeemed for Southwest flights anywhere the airline flies. Since Southwest does not publish an award chart, you will need to search for point prices when booking on the website or mobile app. TPG's valuations suggest getting at least 1.25 cents per point in value before redeeming.

Southwest Airlines has also said that starting in spring 2027, Rapid Rewards members will be able to redeem points for international flights on partners such as China Airlines, Etihad Airways and Icelandair. Pricing has not yet been announced.

Where the Southwest Priority Credit Card falls short

If you do not fly Southwest several times a year, it will be hard to extract enough value from the card. Its $229 annual fee can be offset by perks such as free checked bags, preferred seating and the ability to earn TQPs, but only if Southwest is your airline of choice often enough.

Unlike some premium travel cards, it does not include flexible credits or benefits that stay useful when another airline has the better fare or schedule.

Southwest Priority vs. Southwest Premier

The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Premier Credit Card has a more manageable $149 annual fee. Both cards offer the same checked bag benefit, Group 5 boarding and the ability to earn toward elite status at a rate of 1 TQP per $1 spent starting in 2027.

The Premier card’s seating perks are not as generous, though. It offers preferred seats within 48 hours of departure, when available, while Priority cardholders can choose them at booking. Premier cardholders also get 6,000 anniversary points, compared with 7,500 on the Priority.

On the earning side, the Premier replaces gas stations with grocery stores in its bonus categories, but caps grocery and restaurant bonus earnings at $8,000 in spending per anniversary year. It earns 3 points per dollar on Southwest flights, just 1 point less than the Priority. That is not a major drawback for the Priority, but a bigger gap would make its case stronger.

All told, the Priority costs $80 more per year, and the extra 1,500 anniversary points are worth only $19 based on TPG’s valuations. That leaves about $61 to justify with earlier preferred seat selection, extra-legroom upgrades and different bonus categories. Frequent travelers, especially those who would otherwise pay for better seating, should take a close look at the Southwest Priority despite the higher fee.

The information for the Southwest Rapid Rewards Premier Credit Card has been collected independently by The Points Guy. The card details on this page have not been reviewed or provided by the card issuer.

To learn more, see our comparison of the personal Southwest cards.

Is the Southwest Priority Credit Card worth it?

For Southwest loyalists, the card can be a useful addition to a wallet. Its mix of perks helps frequent flyers justify the annual fee and can make travel day noticeably smoother and more comfortable.

Still, the card’s full value is best realized by the airline’s biggest fans. If you travel infrequently or use several airlines, one of Southwest’s lower-fee cards may be the better choice.

When to apply for the Southwest Priority Credit Card

New cardholders can currently earn 90,000 bonus points after spending $3,000 on purchases within the first three months of account opening.

Based on TPG's valuations, those 90,000 points are worth $1,125.

This is a stronger-than-usual offer for the card, and it arrives at a noteworthy moment. It is the last year that welcome offers will count toward the points needed to earn a Southwest Companion Pass.

Applicants approved by Dec. 2 can still have the bonus count, even if they finish the spending requirement in 2027. Those who apply later will have a much tougher path to the pass.

Keep in mind that Chase’s 5/24 rule applies to all Southwest cards. In addition, applicants cannot currently hold another personal Southwest card or have received a personal Southwest card bonus within the past 24 months.

Other cards to consider if you do not want the Southwest Priority

If the card is not worth a place in your wallet, consider these alternatives:

• If you want a Southwest card with a lower annual fee: The Southwest Rapid Rewards® Plus Credit Card (see rates and fees) charges $99 per year but still includes solid perks such as a free first checked bag for you and up to eight companions, plus priority boarding. See our full review of the Southwest Plus for details.
• If you want a card that earns transferable rewards: The card that earns Ultimate Rewards points can transfer to Southwest and earns dining points at a higher rate than the Southwest Priority, at 3 points per dollar spent. Read our full review of the Sapphire Preferred for more information.
• If you want premium travel perks: The card with premium benefits (see rates and fees) offers lounge access, statement credits for multiple merchants and broad travel protections. It also earns Ultimate Rewards points that can be transferred to Southwest. See our full review of the Sapphire Reserve for details.

For more options, check out our picks for the best airline and travel rewards cards.

Bottom line

Southwest credit cards can be a valuable part of your wallet if you fly Southwest Airlines, though several of them share the same core benefits, including a free first checked bag and Group 5 boarding. So airline loyalty alone will not necessarily push you toward this particular card.

The Southwest Priority stands out because its perks can meaningfully improve the travel experience, from picking a better seat earlier to stretching out when extra room is available.